


Don't Bother None

by NighttimePhilosopher



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Empire City, F/F, I put a quartz h/c in there, Implied Road Trips, Implied early relationship, Light Angst, Pre-BOHAM, Pre-Future, Set in OG series, Slice of Life, Steven is there for 1 second and has no speaking role, Talks of designated gem purpose, Travel, an old amedotweek prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26858584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NighttimePhilosopher/pseuds/NighttimePhilosopher
Summary: Amethyst and Peridot have a between-the-moment conversation on Peridot's first weekend stay in Empire City. Set Pre-Future & Pre-BOHAM.
Relationships: Amethyst/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Don't Bother None

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Yoko Kanno/The Seatbelt's song of the same name ;)

Empire city was everything that Beach city wasn’t, that was for sure. Slim, slick city cars kept the roads busy and uncrossable with their darting and honking and last minute indication, making the boxy _Universe_ van feel like a slow, hulking beast in comparison. People populated the streets even at the late hour they arrived, chatting with food vendors who were happy to operate late and pouring out of bars, howling with laughter they could hear even over the rock blasting from the radio. And despite the clock approaching midnight, streaking neon signs, crimson break lights and quickly changing traffic signals kept the place -- and Greg -- vibrant and awake like the sun never went down.

(For reference, Beach city had a dinner rush at six -- which involved a finger countable number of family clusters trickle down to the boardwalk to choose from three options of takeout -- went to bed at ten, and then the street lights shut off two hours later due to power regulations. Dewey left his mark in interesting ways).

So, despite everything she could’ve commented on, the first thing that came out of Peridot’s mouth when they arrived was, “Where are the stars?”

Amethyst paused in unloading their things from the van. As strong gf, she had appointed herself to carrying her’s and Peridot’s stuff to the hotel lobby (Strong gf policy did not cover Steven and Greg). “The stars?” she repeated absentmindedly, noticing from Peridot’s perch on the boot of the van that she really hadn’t been glancing around at everything like Amethyst thought she would. Amethyst followed her gaze into the cloudy glow of the night sky above, where the absence of pinprick stars felt more apparent since Peridot pointed it out. Amethyst would’ve called it bronze if it wasn’t so damn foggy.

“Yes.” Peridot only looked to Amethyst to explain. “The atmosphere here seems densely obscured, enough to block out the stars from a ground view.”

Amethyst dropped their suitcases and leaned on one of them with a knowing smile to rival Pearl’s. She lazily rolled over, ending up right back at Peridot’s side. “Welcome to the city, Peri: Where the only stars are beautiful but fake _A F_.”

Peridot jumped at a sleek car that carelessly whizzed by the parked van, obviously used to working within the tight, busy streets. She had to pat her hair down. “I see what you mean with stars and actors but I also don’t.”

“S’called light pollution.” Amethyst explained over the hum. “Empire city is so bright that it could be a star. Not like lil’ old Beach City. You could prolly see it from space. All the light from the buildings and everything blocks out the stars n’ junk, meaning the ones on posters and billboards are the only ones left.”

Peridot kicked her feet back and forth, not trying to hide a small smirk. The sarcasm in her voice was gentle. “How poetic.”

“Didn’t even break a sweat, country girl.” Amethyst played, flashing her a grin, the warmest she possibly could. Greg would ribbingly point it out if he wasn’t checking them in. “Who woulda thought someone from _outer space_ likes the beach better?”

“It’s not that I dislike this place. It’s more that I am more unfamiliar with this world than I thought. Even on Homeworld, stars and colonies were visible at all times.”

Amethyst left the suitcase to stand by itself, throwing her leg up onto the boot to join Peridot. She scooted close once she was up, enough for their fingers to touch while she looked up to the starless sky; cloudy, gold, and fake.

“Well that makes two of us, huh.”

She felt Peridot turn to her. “Huh?” She repeated, although it was more of a squeak.

“I’ve spent my whole life on Earth. I can count the amount of times I’ve left it, with thiiiiis finger.” She unfolded her middle finger and held it to space. Homeworld’s galaxy was way off to the left but it still counted. She hummed, reconsidering as she held out her index too, making a peace sign instead. “OK maybe there was two times, but we only sorta left atmosphere that first time. Still counts.” She grinned at Peridot’s snickering, glad she wasn’t guilty. “But there’s still times when I don’t get it. You get plants and gardening way better than I do, even though I’ve had literally all the time in the world to learn.”

“Yes,” Peridot started, “but you are a _quartz_. _I,_ on the other hand, _need_ to know and be aware of the inner workings of everything I work with.” Amethyst went to talk but she stopped her. “I am not comparing experience.”

“I’m just saying that we both don’t get everything here. And that’s okay. Dummy solidarity, y’know?”

“I understand. But it is easier for you to accept than me. The pursuit of system and structure, whether it be mechanical, biological or otherwise, exists deeply within my coding.”

Amethyst hummed decisively into her hand. “Sounds like a Peri-problem.”

Peridot threw her hands out excitedly. “No, not a problem, but a feature!” Amethyst couldn’t help a smile at her way of thinking about it. “It’s an inbuilt motivation to keep going. As a quartz, you should have a soldier’s drive to defend and patrol and fight--” She flinched, then backpeddled, ”--but you don’t necessarily have to do those things on earth, and it’s okay if you don’t possess those drives!” She looked apprehensive but smiled anyway. “Besides, I think your drive…is a food drive!!” That caught Amethyst off guard and sent her into a barrage of mini chuckle-snorts, letting Peridot know it was okay to laugh. “Food and nap drives!”

“Okay, you got that right. And I do gots those drives, they’re like. Urges? It just comes up when something bad happens, like a lil’ funny feeling in my chest.” She pressed a hand over her gem. “It’s like, oh no, I gotta make this stop, like if Steven or Pearl or you are in trouble. I feel uncomfy until its safe again, until _I_ make it safe again.” She felt hot explaining it all of a sudden. “I dunno.”

Peridot smirked, obviously flattered, and puffed her chest out. “Oh, even little old me?” She teased, gesturing to herself before dramatically flopping backwards into the van. “ _Help~!_ I have fallen and cannot get up~!”

That got Amethyst embarrassed laughing. “Shut upppp!” She prodded Peridot’s thigh. “Stoopid.”

Which made Peridot cackle, flailing her feet. “Help me Amethyst, I’m in perceived immediate daaanngeeerrr!!”

“Ohh you’re in danger all right.” Amethyst rumbled at the good-natured teasing, turning around and pouncing on Peridot, who squealed out her non-existent lungs. She pressed and tickled Peridot’s ribs with gusto, until she paused and realised how she loomed over her. How much she liked it, seeing Peridot delighted below her. Did she consider sharp little canine teeth adorable before now or was that a recent, Peridot-related thing? It shouldn’t have felt too hot at night in the van, but it suddenly did.

Peridot stared up at her. “What’s wrong?”

Amethyst averted her gaze to the side, where she could see the edge of the van’s boot, and the road below. “’s nothing.”

“Oh Amethyst, you goofball.” Peridot picked herself up under her. She quirked her brow smugly. Amethyst hated it already. “I got you all flustered again, didn’t I?”

“You really didn’t.” Amethyst pouted and tried to clamber off, but Peridot’s arms came up to loop around her neck and into her mane. “Okay, how’s about you explain how you can go from cute to annoying in such a short space of time.”

“One of my many talents.” Peridot leaned up and nuzzled into her neck. “You are just too easy sometimes.”

Amethyst retaliated by relinquishing the strength in her arms, dropping her full weight onto Peridot and getting a gratifying ‘oof’. The pressure of Peridot’s arms coming to rest on her back was comforting.

“Oh well, I’m certainly happy if one of my inbuilt functions is to make you all _squirmy_ and _flustered_.” Peridot sighed as Amethyst remembered where they were and lifted herself off. Peridot looked back up to the sky from under Amethyst’s beefy arm, ignoring the tongue Amethyst poked out at her. “Hey, Amethyst?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.” Peridot focused on her again. “I endlessly appreciate your comforting qualities.” She hugged herself to one of Amethyst’s arms and inhaled. “Ahhh, lavender and trash blend. My favourite.”

“No problem.” Amethyst hopped off the van and pulled Peridot with her to stand. “Also, gotta write a note to self: You are weird on trips. Good weird, but still.”

“I would rather be good weird than bad weird like Greg.”

Amethyst raised her eyebrow at the third Greg comment this trip. “Wow, not a fan of good ol’ _‘Dad’,_ are we? You gonna push him off a barn roof again?”

“Shut up.” Peridot growled, folding her arms. At that moment, Greg came out of the rotating door with Steven happily following, and Amethyst shouted ‘speak of the devil!’ to further irk Peridot in return for before.

“Whelp, are you guys right with sleeping on the couch?” Greg said as he unloaded his bags. “It turns out I accidently booked the one-bedder instead of the bigger suite.”

Amethyst let out a laugh at that, hefting her and Peridot’s bags. “Awww, c’mon Greg!” She teased. “Splashing some cash every now and again won’t _kill_ _you!_ ”

Greg protested by sticking his tongue out but Peridot interrupted, desiring no more Amethyst-Greg banter that evaded her understanding. The car ride was enough. “Amethyst is joking, we will take your sleeping arrangements without need for compromise.”

Amethyst made finger guns at Peridot, and shapeshifted herself some sunglasses despite the time. “Yup, what she said.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still not sure how I feel about this one since it's so 'between-the-moment' and early in their implied relationship, it feels weird by writing in the context of both, but I also like that I practiced that kind of feeling, as I like to see it in fics like Mandaree1's. I like the domestic stuff from them a lot and wished to grab a similar feeling. I'm thinking I'll look back on this one and see I might've been ahead of my time in terms of my own writing career(?). I hope so, anyway! I don't hate it but I'm not ready to 100% love it either, if that explains it.
> 
> Have a good one! Please comment if you liked! Thanks!


End file.
